Chapter Sixteen

A Stream of Emotions

Reign found herself in the same position she was in when Lucius had come to see her.  The icy glass cooled her entire body, but it was not cold enough to freeze and stop her tears.  She was huddled by a window again, but not in her rooms.  Down the corridor and to the right from there was a window that she often came to sit at and think when she posed as a student at Hogwarts.  Now she was here for comfort and solitude. 

She should have never let Hagrid convince her to stay.  But he never did.  It was her choice to stay.  She was the one who decided to tell Harry and his friends that she would "see them tomorrow".  What a fool she was. 

Even though her eyes were shut tight the tears still squeezed through.  They flowed silently down her cheeks and onto her robes, leaving a dark trail behind them.  Reign was so angry with herself that she started banging her head against the window.  One hit after another, but it didn't help.  Nothing—no one—could help her now. 

What had she said that pushed Severus away?  What didn't she say?  Her mind traced her steps back to their conversation, but it strayed to his appearance.  He looked tired.  Not fatigued, but tired of time, of life.  His black eyes were void of the hint of love and kindness they once possessed.  He wore more layers than he used to, and that hid his lean figure and suggested he wanted to remain hidden.  His hair he had neglected for some time.  It was so hard seeing him like that, so hard knowing that she was the reason he was like that. 

Reign put her head down into her knees and wept for all that was lost and all that could have been.  When she lifted her head to dry her tears a dark figure stepped forward from the shadows.  Reign pressed up against the window, not wanting to go through another horrific reunion with him. 

But it wasn't him.

It was him.

            "Lucius," she gasped as she wiped her tears, "goodness, man, don't you have a home?"  The man stepped forward and laughed at her question.  It was a true laugh—young and sincere—and yet there was a hint of something in it that Reign did not like.

            "Of course I have a home," he said as he lifted himself up to sit next to her.  "I forgot my cane in Dumbledore's office."  He lifted the walking stick up and Reign shuddered at the snake atop of it.  It was glaring at her.  She followed it as Malfoy lowered it and brought his hand up to wipe away the rest of her tears.  "It hurts to see you like this."

            "It hurts to be like this."  Lucius wore a look of concern, but knew better than to ask what had happened after he left.  "I should have never come back," Reign whispered as she stared out the window.

            "Nonsense!  Of course you should have come back.  If you hadn't, you might have never met me."  Reign smiled and shook her head.  She appreciated his efforts to make her feel better, but she knew they weren't any good. 

            "I know I hurt him," she started, "but why is he acting so--"

            "Bullheaded?"  Reign lifted her head and stared curiously at the man sitting next to her.  "Arrogant?  Sadistic?  Childish?"  They both laughed, and when the pleasant noise resided Lucius leaned in and spoke softly to the elf.  "Reign, you can't just change Severus any time you like.  I've known him for years, trust me."

            "I know, but--"

            "Just let it go.  At least for now."  He brought his hand up to caress her cheek.  His touch melted the elf.  She closed her eyes.  "For now, tell me what to do to help you."  She opened her eyes and stared into Malfoy's.  Stared into them, trying to see his soul.  Was it pure?  Was he being sincere?  She didn't even care at that moment.  All she wanted was someone there, who acted like they cared.  She crawled into his lap and lay there like a small child.  Lucius stroked her hair, which entwined itself with his.  Her silver-white locks made his look dull.  He rocked gently back and forth as he held Reign in his arms.

            "All I want is for someone to hold me," she whispered into his cloak.  At that moment, Lucius Malfoy felt something surge through his body that he had never felt before--sympathy.

***

An hour later Reign was asleep.  Lucius carried her limp body back to her rooms and laid her down on her bed.  After removing her robes he pulled the covers over her and tucked her in.  It was something he hadn't done since Draco was very young.  A deep sigh escaped the elf's lips as she settled her head into the pillow.  The moonlight drifted into the room and illuminated her soft features.  She still had a few scratches from her village incident.  Lucius bent his head and cursed his master for what he did to her.  And he cursed himself.  Because he was there. 

He sat on the edge of the bed and watched her sleep.  He hadn't seen her when they raided her village.  Or maybe he had.  Elves looked so much alike that he very well could have seen her, but his memory held nothing.  Besides, everyone that he met that night he had killed, so he couldn't have met her. 

His hand grasped hers and held tight, and the sympathy flowed from his body into hers, and she smiled in her sleep.

***

NOTE:  A short but illuminating chapter, wouldn't you say?  Thank you so much to everyone who has been reviewing this story.  I appreciate every single one of you.  If I could reach out and hug you, I would.  But alas, it is the computer screen that prevents me from doing so.  But no matter, that is why there are "author's note"-s, which act as thank-you notes, and hugs.